Adjustable helmet shell suspension



H. W. AUSTIN ADJUSTABLE HELMET SHELL SUSPENSION Jan. 30, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 24, 1958 INVENTOR. HARRY \V. 4057/17 BY aw mm,

Jan. 30, 1962 H. W. AUSTIN ADJUSTABLE HELMET SHELL SUSPENSION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1958 Bfildfisd Patented Jan. 30, 1962 has 3,018,433 ADJUSTABLE HELMET SHELL SUSPENSHSN Harry W. Austin Monroeville, Pa, assignor to Mine Safety Appliances Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 782,699 10 Claims. (Cl. 2-3) This invention relates to the suspensions by which protective helmet shells are held on the head, and more particularly to suspensions that are adjustable in height.

The usual protective helmet or hat worn by miners, industrial workers and the like has a rigid shell, in which there is a suspension that supports it. The suspension includes a cradle formed of straps that rest on the head and have their lower ends connected to the lower part of the shell. head, but it also spaces the top of the head from the crown of the shell to prevent impacts against the crown from being transmitted directly to the head. The amount of protection that the helmet gives depends largely on the amount of clearance between the top of the head and the top of the shell. The greater this distance, the greater the protection that is afforded the wearer. Most suspen sions include a lace at the top of the cradle which can be shortened for heads of low crown height or let out for heads of high crown height. The objection to such means of adjusting a suspension is that sometimes the lace is lengthened to such an extent that the top of the shell nearly rests in contact with the head and thereby greatly increases the danger of injury in case the helmet is struck.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a protective helmet in which the suspension always provides a minimum safe distance between the wearers head and the top of the helmet, and in which the height of the suspension can be reduced for heads of less crown height.

In accordance with this invention, a head cradle is formed from straps that cross at the top of the cradle and have their lower ends formed for connection to the lower part of a helmet shell to support the shell. At the top of the cradle there is a slide provided with one or more open ings, up through which the straps extend to form loops above the slide. Disposed in the loops on top of the slide is means for varying the size of the loops. Such variation will change or permit change in the elevation of the slide in order to vary the size of the cradle. No matter what is done, however, the top of the cradle can never approach the top of the shell closer than the predetermined distance for which the suspension is designed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a hehnet equipped with my suspension;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the suspension adjuster;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through a modified adjuster;

FIG. 4 is a section the same as FIG. 3, but with the adjustment member flattened;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of FIG. 4, partly broken away;

FIG. 6 is a plan view, similar to FIG. 5, of a further modification;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section through FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a vertical section showing the adjustment member arched by the cradle straps; and

FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 are views, similar to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, respectively, of yet another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a rigid helmet shell 1 .is formed in the usual manner from any suitable material that may take the form of a cap or hat. A suspension for supporting the shell is located inside of it and is composed of a head-receiving cradle 2 and a sweat band 3. The cradle is formed from two or more flexible webbing straps 4 and 5 that cross each other at the top and have their lower ends located beside the lower portion of the shell, to which they may be connected in any suitable manner. The length of the straps is such that the top ofthe cradle will always be spaced a predetermined safe distance from the top of the shell, so that impacts against the latter will not be transmitted directly to the head of the wearer. However, since the crown heights of individuals vary considerably, it can be seen that if the top of a maximum size cradle were to engage the top of a low crown the hehnet would sit too low on the head. My helmet therefore is provided with means for adjusting the distance that thehead can extend up into the shell, whereby there is a maximum as well as g a minimum distance that the top of the suspension can be The suspension not only fits the helmet to the l spaced from the top of the helmet.

For that purpose a slide 7, preferably circular, is provided with circumferentially spaced slots 8, through which the cradle straps extend to form loops above the slide. Rotatably mounted on top of the slide is a disc 9 that also is provided with slots 10, through which the straps extend. However, as shown in FIG. 2, these slots curve or spiral outward from points near the center of the disc to points near its outer edge. The disc is pivotally connected to the slide by a stud 11 or the like extending through their centers. As the disc is turned relative to the underlying slide 7, the opposite sides of a strap loop are either pushed farther apart to increase the size of the loop or pulled closer together to reduce its size, the straps being slidable through the slots in the slide at such a time. When the loops are in the outer ends of the spiral slots, as shown in full lines in FIG. 1, the-loops are largest and the height of the cradle is least. If the disc is turned to move the straps toward the inner ends of its slots, the loops can be reduced in size and the disc and slide can be slid up the straps to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 1, to increase the height of the cradle, but there still exists sufficient clearance between the cradle and the shell to protect the head of the wearer. It will be seen that no matter how much the disc is turned, the wearer will not be able to reduce the minimum crown clearance provided by the manufacturer.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, a slotted slide 13 is mounted on the crossed cradle straps 14 and 15 as before, but in place of a rotatable disc, an arched or convex spreader member 16 is placed inside the strap loops above the slide. This spreader is in the form of a resilient shell of molded rubber or the like. It has circumferentially spaced legs 1'7 that rest on the slide and extend out between its slots 18. The straps extend up through the spaces between the legs. The crown height of the suspension is set for the lowest crown head ex pected to wear the helmet containing the suspension.

When the helmet is placed on a head having a greater height, it is pulled down into proper position, which pulls the cradle straps down through the slide and flattens the spreader. FIGS. 4 and 5 show the spreader completely flattened. During the flattening, the legs 17 slide radially outward across the top of the slide 18. When the helmet is removed from the head, the resilient spreader resumes its original convex shape by pushing the slide back down the straps to the minimum height position of FIG. 3.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the arrangement is somewhat the reverse of that just described, because the spreader member 20 is flat when the cradle is set for low crown heads and convex when used with high crowns. The spreader is disposed on a slide 21 provided with a central opening 22, up through which cradle straps 23 and 24 extend to form crossed loops above the slide. The spreader member, inside the loops, has radiating arms that are provided with notches 25 in their outer ends for receiving the straps to hold the spreader in proper position. The arms extend out near the periphery of the slide, and the loops are folded around the ends of the arms. If the suspension is fitted over the head of a person whose crown is higher than that for which the suspension normally is set, the wearer pulls down on the helmet, which will pull the straps down through the slide. This is permitted because the ends of the arms can be pulled in toward the center of the slide, thereby causing the spreader to bend and arch upward as shown in FIG. 8. The pressure of the head agianst the straps where they pass through the slide maintains the new fitting until the helmet is removed from the head. Then the tendency of the spreader to expand and flatten out causes the straps to be pulled up through the slide again to their original position in FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIGS. 9, l and 11 illustrate a still further embodiment of the invention, in which a cushion 26 is disposed in the cradle strap loops 27 and 28 above a slotted slide 29. This cushion may be made of any suitable material that is not easily compressed, but which can be compressed if the straps are pulled down through the slide. In its normal uncompressed state, the cushion spaces the slide the maximum distance from the top of the helmet shell for low crown heads. If the helmet is to be worn by a man with a higher crown, he puts it on and then pulls it down to its proper location. When he does this the straps are pulled down through the slide, which is permitted because they compress the cushion as shown in FIG. 11.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A helmet shell suspension comprising a head cradle formed from straps crossing each other at the top of the cradle and having lower ends adapted to be connected to the lower part of a helmet shell in a position to support the shell with its top spaced from the top of the cradle, a slide at the top of the cradle having a top and a bottom, the slide being perforated for receiving the straps which extend up through it to form crossed loops above the slide, and means on top of said slide disposed in said loops for varying their size, whereby to change the elevation of the slide on the straps in order to vary the size of the cradle, said straps crossing above said means and engaging the top thereof.

2. A helmet shell suspension comprising a head cradle formed from straps crossing each other at the top of the cradle and having lower ends adapted to be connected to the lower part of a helmet shell in a position to support the shell with its top spaced from the top of the cradle, a slide at the top of the cradle having a top and a bottom and provided with circumferentially spaced slots up through which the straps extend to form crossed loops extending across the top of the slide, and means on top of said slide disposed in said loops beneath the area where they cross for varying their size, whereby to change the elevation of the slide on the straps in order to vary the size of the cradle, said straps crossing above said means and engaging the top thereof.

3. A helmet shell suspension comprising a head cradle formed from straps crossing each other at the top of the cradle and having lower ends adapted to be connected to the lower part of a helmet shell in a position to support the shell with its top spaced from the top of the cradle, a slide at the top of the cradle having a top and a bottom, the slide being perforated for receiving the straps which extend up through it to form crossed loops above the slide, and a slide-engaging member disposed in said loops, said straps crossing above said member and engaging the top thereof, the height of said member being adjustable :to change the spacing between the tops of the loops and the top of the slide in order to to vary the size of the loops, whereby to change the elevation of the slide on the straps in order to vary the size of the cradle.

4. A helmet shell suspension according to claim 1, in which the slide has a central opening for the straps, and said means in the loops is deformable.

5. A helmet shell suspension according to claim 1, in which the slide has a central opening for the straps, and said means in the loops is a normally flat deformable member disposed on top of the slide and is flexible to arch up when the straps are pulled down through the slide.

6. A helmet shell suspension according to claim 1, in which the slide has a central opening for the straps, and said means inside the loops is a normally flat deformable spreader disposed on top of the slide and having radiating arms around the outer ends of which the straps are folded, said arms being flexible lengthwise so that the spreader will arch up when the straps are pulled down through said slide.

7. A helmet shell suspension according to claim 1, in which said means inside the loops is a disc rotatably mounted on top of the slide and provided with slots receiving the opposite sides of each loop, said slots spiralling outward from points near the center of the disc to points near its periphery, whereby turning of the disc will vary the size of said loops and change the elevation of said slide.

8. A helmet shell suspension according to claim 1, in which said means inside the loops is a cushion on top of :said slide, the cushion being compressible when the straps are pulled down through the slide, whereby the loops will be reduced in size and the inside height of the cradle will be increased.

9. A helmet shell suspension according to claim 1, in which said means inside the loops is a normally convex resilient member formed to be flattened when the straps are pulled down through said slide, whereby the loops will be reduced in size and the inside height of the cradle will be increased.

10. A helmet shell suspension according to claim 1, in which said slide has a top and a bottom and is provided with circumferentially spaced slots up through which the straps extend to form said loops, and said means inside the loops is a normally convex resilient shell having circumferentially spaced legs extending out between said slide slots into engagement with the slide, said resilient shell being adapted to be flattened by the loops when the straps are pulled down through the slide, whereby the loops will be reduced in size and the inside height of the cradle will be increased.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,455,797 Myers et al. Dec. 7, 1948 2,796,609 Fisher et al. June 25, 1957 2,879,513 Hornickel et a1 Mar. 31, 1959 

